Suction-producing device.



C. J. HARVEY. SUCTION PRODUCING DEVICE.

APPLICIATION FILED APRJB, 1913.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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0.J.HARVEY. SUCTION PRODUCING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR.1B, 1913 Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEIET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGR PH 60., WASHINGTON D c onrrnn STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES JAMES HARVEY, OF KIDDERMINSTER, ENGLAND.

SUCTION-PRODUCING DEVICE.

1 0 all whom-1'25 may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES JAMES Hanvnr, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Kidderminster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Suction- Producing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in and relating to suction devices for use in vacuum dusting and cleaning apparatus, and it has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device of portable form capable of being operated at a higher speed than the majority of devices for this purpose as at present constructed. A device according to the present invention moreover presents the advantage as distinguished from those devices where exhausters other than fans are employed, and which fans require to be driven at very high speeds in order to be effective, that the dust laden air does not necessarily require to be filtered before it passes through the exhauster. Again with the majority of portable or semiportable forms of these devices as at present constructed, the exhauster only makes one inspiration while the dust nozzle is moved over a comparatively large area, in practice from one to four feet of the surface to be cleaned. Now according to the present in-- vention, I provide a double acting device which may be driven at a higher speed and thus produce more inspirations and thereby produce a practically continuous suction at the nozzle.

A device according to my invention consists in the combination with a casing open at its ends, of a diaphragm within the casing, inlet and outlet valves which might be formed by suitably shaping the casing adjacent its ends and providing it with flexible material which will cooperate with the end of the diaphragm and secure a valve like effect. The casing may be of hexagonal or other convenient cross sectional outline and shape, and for convenience of construction the said casing may be made in two parts with a longitudinal joint. A longitudinal diaphragm of stiff or slightly flexible impervious material is loosely retained within the casing by very flexible impervious material connected to it on its two sides. The said flexible material may be conveniently held fast by clamping it between the edges of the tWo members of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 18, 1913.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Serial No. 761,878.

versely hinged and the valve like action secured in like manner, except that little or no endwise movement takes place, this movement may be accomplished by any known means, although in practice I find an efficient arrangement to comprise a crank or cranked shaft caused to rotate within one of the air chambers, the crank running in a slot or slide on the diaphragm and thereby operating it across the casing, its endwise movement being prevented by the flexible material at the sides. enough to prevent the diaphragm twisting or turning on edge or other means may be employed to this end.

In order that the invention may be the better understood drawings are appended in which Figure 1. is a side elevation with the filter in section of a cleaner embodying the present invention. Fig. 2. is a front elevation with the filter omitted. Fig. 3. is a longitudinal section of the exhauster. Fig. 4. is a transverse section of the exhauster adjacent the axis of the crank operating the diaphragm. Fig. 5. is a sectional plan to an enlarged scale on line A A Fig. 2. Fig. 6. shows an alternative arrangement of the invention. Fig. 7. is a front view of the lower end of the diaphragm. Fig. 8. is a section on line B B Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings a indicates a casing of rectangular cross section jointed longitudinally at a the two parts being held together by means of the screws a passing through plates at disposed one on each side of the body of the device.

6 indicates a rigid body jointed at b and disposed longitudinally of the flexible diaphragm 0 to which it is secured in any convenient manner. The diaphragm c is secured within the case a by clamping its longitudinal edges between the meeting surfaces of thecomponent members of said case a.

, The case a is open at a and secured I make the slide broad V across said opening by its edges is a piece of flexible material d terminating at the point (Z corresponding. to the end of the rigid body 6. A second piece of material 6 is provided upon the other member of the case so that at these points, when the end of the body 2) would otherwise come into contact with the case, there is provided a yielding surface which in addition to preventing noise cooperates with the said body and with the diaphragm to produce a valve like effect. The opposite end of the case a is open, and in the construction shown is disposed adjacent a nozzle f through which the dust laden air is drawn into the exhauster. The diaphragm c at the lower end is attached to a cross rod or bar g to 'which are also secured flexible bodies 9 arranged on each side of the diaphragm which together form at this point a pocket like arrangement, the sides of the bodies 9 being also secured to one of the meeting edges of the members of case a.

it indicates a shaft operated from a spindle [L by means of pulleys if, it over which passes a band or belt a. The spindle h is actuated by means of the wheels 2' which support the device upon the ground, and are attached to spindle b so that the backward and forward movement of the said device will cause shaft h to be rotated. Formed integral with the shaft it or secured thereto in any convenient manner, is acrank j, which crank engages a guide y' secured to the face of the rigid body 6. By this means the movement of the nozzle over the surface to be cleaned will cause the diaphragm to be rapidly vibrated across the case a, its movements in the case causing alternate air pressure and vacuum in the respective airchambers; these air-movements causing the bodies 9 and b and d to function as ordinary inlet and exit valves to the two airtrated'a removable filter bag is provided indicated by is, into which the air is forced and through which it escapes leaving the dust behind it. 1 r

The operation of the device is as follows Starting with the diaphragm in the middle posit-ion see Figs. 6 and 8, the rotation of the crank will effect the exhaustion of the chamber Aand create suction in chamber B. On the completion of the stroke, the diaphragm falls and the valves change over, causing suction in A and exhaust in B the high speed at which the diaphragm is run causing a practically continuous suction at the nozzle end and exhaust at the handle end of the machine.

Instead of the arrangement just described I may employ that shown in Fig. 6, in which the invent-ion is shown as applied to a casing terminating in a tube or tubular handle. The arrangement illustrated in the said figure also avoids the necessity for the perforation of the case a. As illustrated in the figure referred to the nozzle is connected to a shell or case a terminating in a tubular handle m. The diaphragm is substantially the same as that already described, and it is also operated in a similar manner.

As shown upon the drawings, the rigid body 6 is connected to the flexible diaphragm, which diaphragm is clamped along its edges in the manner already described, and its upper end is attached to a cross piece 0. In Fig. 6 the diaphragm, where it is clamped, is indicated by c and the extension of the diaphragm beyond the body 7) is indicated by 0 The arrangement con trolling the exhaust of the dust laden air may be of substantially the same construction as the arrangement controlling the admission of the air.

Valve like action may be obtained by shaping the casing at the inlet end so as to closely fit about the end of the diaphragm, and a like arrangement may be employed at the exit end; but any other suitable form of valves may be employed either in addition to or instead of the above mentioned arrangement.

The interior of the casing, or the diaphragm, or both, may be cushioned with smooth yielding material, so that in the event of grit or hard substances getting caught between the diaphragm and easing, the cushion may yield to the obstruction and prevent the action being stopped thereby. Or the casing may be made of such size as to allow suflicient clearance beyond the space required for the movement of the diaphragm. The device may be in combination with or may form part of any suitable combination of nozzle and dust collecting apparatus, and it may be adapted to be driven in any convenient manner; it may for instance be fixed or pivoted to. a nozzle as shown in English Patents Nos. 546 of 1893, 29676 of 1910, or to any other suitable form of nozzle; and the device may be driven from any suitable source of power, for instance it may be driven by road wheels, or floor wheels, such as shown in English Patents 5570 of 1903 or 375 of 1905, or in any other suitable manner. The dust-laden air may thus be caused to pass direct through the device, whence it may be caught in an inverted bag filter or other convenient form of dust collector. Or a length of flexible tubing may be employed. having its one end attached to the outlet of the device, and its other end. may be attached to a stationary or semi-portable dust collector of any known kind. For instance for road sweeping it may be in the form of a covered cart. If two or more devices have theirexhausts connected to the same collector, nonreturn valves may be interposed at any convenient point between the devices and the collector whereby any back pressure may be prevented escaping through any device connected but not in work.

Instead of passing all the dust laden air through the device, the dust may be previously partly or entirely separated. Again the devices may be used without any dust collector, a length of tubing being connected to the device and having its opposite end outside or away from the place being cleaned, so that the dust may be discharged at a more or less remote point from that at which it is collected.

The device as described is double-acting, but it may in some cases be single-acting, should the general design of the suction cleaner render this desirable, and either one device or a plurality of such devices may be employed on the same apparatus.

I find that by means of valves as described and illustrated, it is possible to secure the continuous passage of dust laden air without the said valves becoming choked or fouled.

Claims:

1. An exhauster comprising a casing, openings at each end of said casing, a flexible diaphragm having free ends, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a flexible body at each end of the diaphragm cooperating with the diaphragm to control the admission and exiaust of air.

2. An exhauster comprising a casing, openings at each end of said casing, a flexible diaphragm having free ends, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, aflexible body at each end of the diaphragm cooperating with the diaphragm to control the admission and exhaust of air.

3. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a flexible body at each end of the diaphragm cooperating with the diaphragm to control the admission and exhaust of air.

4. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, a crank operable from the exterior of the case, an eye upon the rigid member of the diaphragm engaged by said crank, a flexible body at each end of the diaphragm cooperating with the diaphragm to control the admission and exhaustof the air.

5. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, a crank operable from the exterior of the case, an eye upon the rigid member of the diaphragm engaged by said crank, a flexible body embracing the diaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

6. An exhauster comprising a casing, openings at each end of said casing, a flexible diaphragm having free ends, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a flexible body embracing the endv of thediaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

7. An exhauster comprising acasing, openings at each end of said casing, a flexible diaphragm having free ends, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an eX- tension'on said member also carried by the diaphragm, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

8. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and. exhaust of the air.

9. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said memher carried by the diaphragm, a crank operable from the exterior of the case, an eye upon the rigid member of the diaphragm engaged by said crank, a flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm ateach end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

10. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carried by the diaphragm, means for reciprocating the diaphragm transversely of the casing, a pocket shaped flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm at each end and cooperating there with to control the admission and exhaustof the air.

11. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, an extension on said member also carrled by the dlaphragm, a crank operable fro-m the'exterior of the case, an

eye upon the rigid member of the diaphragm engaged by said crank, a pocket shaped flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust ofthe air.

12. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexible diaphragm Copies of th'is'patent may be obtained for the diaphragm at each end and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

18. An exhauster comprising a casing formed in two parts, a flexiblediaphragm having free ends with its edges clamped between the edges of the component members of the case, a central rigid member upon said diaphragm, a crank shaft, a crank, a pulley on thecrank shaft, a belt passing over said pulley, a second shaft, a pulley on said second shaft, wheels upon said second shaft, said wheels contacting with the ground, a pocket shaped flexible body embracing the end of the diaphragm at each end'and cooperating therewith to control the admission and exhaust of the air.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

CHARLES JAMES HARVEY.

itnesses lVILLIAIvr J OI-INSTINE, HARRY MOULDER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

